For your info - a Photography conference has been started.  Just type 
"Join Photo" at the prompt.

10 responses total.

It would be equally effective to just post this notice as a response.
But, perhaps we should use it here to discuss *Nature Photography*!
Are there any active nature photographers reading this cf? I'd like
to read about your techniques, films, etc. I used to do a lot of
nature photography - in caves - but now just sort and show the old
slides 8^.

I do a lot of amature nature photography.  In the past I used telephotos,
extenders, and fast film.  The 800 speed Fuji Professional print is fast
enough that I could get pretty good shots from a fair distance.

I have used Black and White as Hight as 12,800 and that might be great to
use in caves ? ? ?

B&W isn't used much (hardly at all) in cave photography. It is hard
enough to distinguish textures and shapes when they are in color
(caves tend to vary only a little around monochromaticity), and almost
impossible in B&W. However high speeds are not needed as the cave
*is* a camera, and you can leave the shutter open as long as you wish.

Makes sense!

I'd have to disagree with Rane a bit about B&W cave photography, or at
least amplify in a contradictory direction.  Chris Howe is a photographer
who is well known among those interested in photographs of caves.  His
black and white photographs of caves are among the very best cave photos
taken in recent years.  Generally, B&W photography in caves has the same 
strength/weakness of tone vs. color emphasis as compared to color
photography in any setting.  A properly printed B&W photograph is more
difficult to come by commercially, so most photographers using
processing services work with slides and color prints.

I tend to agree, but I have never looked into cave photography.  My first
thoughts are that you are totally at the mercy of artifical light.  Certainly
you need to spread the light and avoid any type of beam.  Electronic flash
would only be so good, but would not have much reach.

The only thing I can compare it to, personally, is I have taken a wide angle
photo of the underside of the Broadway Street Bridge in early morning light.
I lined up the arches so that the viewer looks down a succession of arches.
Most people who see it really like it and ask me what cathedral I was in.
Point is, it was only shades of gray with very little actual difference 
between the lightest and the darkest.  I printed for contrast and you would
not guess it is the dirty underside of a local bridge.

You seem to have a good grasp of the difficulties of lighting in a cave
for photography.  Typically multiple exposures are used to "paint" desired
surfaces.  A lot of experimentation and use of customized techniques go
into almost any shot.  The advantage of an entirely dark environment is
that each shot can be done in stages using a stationary camera with an
open shutter, as Rane mentioned.  These factors tend to make cave
photography a team effort.  You must also consider the experience and
caution necessary just to be in a cave in the first place.  Generally, you
have to protect yourself, the cave, and your equipment in an extremely
fragile and typically difficult and/or dangerous environment. 

  Natural light could be sunlight illuminating passages through openings,
or I would consider photographs of people in caves using only the source
of light (headlamp or handlamp) that the subject carries normally to
expose the film a "natural" effect.   Cave photographers also have 
success using a single flash technique, which is limited  in its range for 
good effect, but has the advantage of speed and simplicity of setup which
creates a different style of results.

I wonder if a multiple strobe (ie Many strobes) would be a good technique
for caves?  This may work well, but it would require heavy duty planning
to ensure the light was somewhat evenly distributed.

Right about the planning.  I think most photographers use bulbs and
frequently with improvised firing systems; this simplifies and lightens
the gear that must be carried and subjected to abuse.  The problem of
exposure calculation is a never ending challenge:  Distances can be very
difficult to estimate and reflective qualities of surfaces literally and
figuratively uneven. 

Does anyone have any interesting nature phot topics to share,
other than caving already mentioned? Please share!

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